Corn-planter



(ModeL) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. U. ORANDALL.-

CORN PLANTEB.

No. 252,194. Patented Jan. 10,1882.

whiz can: I n 2/0 utor;

QYGQQMZZZ w 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' (ModeL) G. U CRANDALL- CORN PLANTER.

No. 252394. Patented Jan. 10,1882.

Inventor:

witnesse s:

Modem 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. U.'G.RA NDALL.

I 001m PLANTBR. No. 252,194. Patented Jan. 10,1882;

witnesses.- Inveniw z:

(Modl.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

G. U. ORANDALL l v CORN PLAN'IER. No. 252,194 Patented Jan. 10,1882

witnesses: j vezzwzn CYPRIAN U. ORANDALL,

. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OF STERLING, ILLINOIS;

'CORN-PLANTER.

i QPEbIFICATIQN forming part of Letters PatentNo. 252,194, dated January10, 1882.

1 Application filed May 18, 1881. (ModeL) .To all whom it may concern Beit known that 1, CYPRIAN U. GRANDALL, a citizen of the vUnited States,residing at Sterling, in the county of Whitesides and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters and Ido hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in theart to which ihappertainsdo make and'use the same, referen'c'e being hadto the accompanying drawing-s,and to letters or figures of reference Tmarked thereon, which form a part ofthis speci-vl fication.

My invention relates to improvements in seed-planters in whichperforated, rotating, 'and laterally-moving seed-plates are operated bybeing geared tothe ground-wheel, and in which the seedrboxes are placedupon the rear frame 'of the machine.

Theobjects ofmy invention are, first, to regulate more closely thenumber of seeds to be planted in one hill second, to furnish a machine-in which the operator of the dropping devices may be seen by theoperator, thus enabling him to drop with greater accuracy, and also tosee that the devices are doing their work. I attain these objects bymeans of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,inwhich- Fig'u're l is a plan view, showing in a general way. theconstruction of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine.Fig. 3 isa rearelevation of the front frame of the machine, showing themode of operating the second drop. Fig.4 is a rear elevation of theseed-boxes and a portion of their attachments, showing the transverseshaft, bevel-gearin gs, and a portion of the self-adjusting shaft whichconnects the seed-plate with said bevel-gear. Fig. 5 shows theflutter-valve or second drop. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the bootor heel of the runner, showing the position of the second drop.

Fig. 7isa plan view of the bottom of the seedbox, showing the seed ordrop plate with preliminary and final cut-offs. Fig. Sis a viewof theunder side of the seed or drop plate and the top-plate with its lugsarranged around the seed-plate. Fig. 9 is a front view of the finalcut-oh, with the cover removed to show the sliding bars and the springat the upper end of such bars. Fig. 10 is a front view and a section ofthe cover for the sliding bars in the final cut-off. Fig. 11 is asectional view of the final cut-off through the line as :v in Fig. 7.Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the lower part of the seed box, theseed-tube, and the boot of the runner. Similar letters refer to similarparts throughout the several views.

The body of my machine consists of the two frames A and A, Figs. 1 and2. The frame A is supported by the ground-wheels B 13, while the frame Ais supported bythe runners C O and the governing -wheels D D. The twoframes are united by the common hinge N and the swivel-hinge X, Figs. 1and 2. The hinge N allows the frame A to bend downward or upward toadjust the runners O (J to the undulations in the ground when suchundulations extend from side to side of the planter. The

swivel-hinge X allows the frame A to rotate upon its axis, so as toraise or lower butone side of the frame A when the runner on one sidemeets an elevation or depression which is not met on the other side.

' Beneath the frame A" are set rigidly the bars 9 9, extending backwardtoward the seat of the driver. To such ends is'attached by a hinge therack U, which rack is forced up ward or downward by means of the pinionV and the foot-cranks o v. The driver may by means of this mechanismraise or lowerthe frame A at will. The ends of the slide-bar 2Q may beset between the cogs of the pinion V, thus locking the pinion andsetting the runners GO rigidly at any desired depth. This.

jectin usingt-his arrangement is to fix the gearing which operates thedropping "devices rig-' idly, so that it may work with greaterperfection than would be the case were a partof the gearing seated uponthe front frame, A.

E. is a bevel driving-gear'attached to the hub of the ground or coveringwheel B, and turns the bevel-gear b on the transverse shaft Gr.

and also to form a bearing for thespring k.

This shaft G is provided with the bevel-gears 0 c, which operate thegears d (1, Figs. 4 and 12. The gears d d are connected with the underside of seed-plate I I by means of the self-adjusting shaft H, which isjoined loosely at its ends by means of four-sided sockets to such gearsd cl and seed-plates I I, as shown in Fig. 12. When the gearing, asdescribed, is oper ated by the motion of the ground'wlieel Bthesecd-plate I is revolved .or rotated. The seedplate I is placedagainst the under side of the top plate, J, and on the under side ofsuch plate J, and around the seed-plate I, are placed the lugs ffffff.When the drop-plate I is rotated its rounded corners strike the lugsffffff, thus pushing such plate irregularly from side to side. It will beobserved, Fig.8, that I place one corner less on plate I than there arelugsff, &c. This is essential to produce the irregular motion mentioned.When one lugf is met by a corner of the plate the lug opposite isbetween ,two corners, thus giving the plate room to slide in thedirection of the last-named lug to allow the opposite corner to slide bythe lug which it has met. Plate Iisprovided with the seed-holes h h h,&c., Fig.- 7. The jarring and the irregular motion of the plate I whileit rotates agitates the corn continually, thus preventing it frombridging over the seed-chambers. The result is that the seed-holes arealways promptly filled.

In Fig. 7, Z l, 860., are yieldingpreliminary cut-ofis, made of wire orother elastic material. When more than one grain attempts to settle intothe holes or seed chambers it they cannot settle below the surface ofplate I, the seedchamber being deep enough to receive only one grainbelow its rim. These preliminary cutoffs l i will then scrape out thegrains, so that the chamber may refill properly. When the chamber isonce properly filled it passes on wit-h the one grain unmolested by thesucceeding preliminary cut-offs, under the final cut-off K, and over theupper end of thetube L, Fig. 12. Figs. 9, 10, and 11 show in detail theconstruction of the final cut-oft K.

O is a box or arch, attached rigidly to the top plate, J, and the wallof such box, which is toward the approaching seed-chamber, is inclinedto the seed-plate 1,as shown in Fig. 11. The angle of such inclinationwhich I find most advantageous is about forty-five degrees. The outersurface of this wall is provided with grooves, in which rest the slidingbars t t 'i, Figs. 9 and 11. The bars it t' are each provided with ashoulder or stop, 6, to prevent the lower'end from bearing upon theseed-plate I,

Q is a cap or cover, placed over bars -i i t and spring to hold thesebars in place. Should a large grain or more than one grain bein one ofthe'seedchambers h when coming to the bars i t t, such bars will yieldand slide backward and upward sufficiently to allow'the corn j suchvalve, the pawls r r, the'gate's,upo thepawls r r are fastened,the'elhdivsj in the chamber to pass. The sprin'gk causes the bars i i 93to fall again as soon'a-s the chamber has passed. I use several bars i,because by so. doing the opening made to admit the corn in the chamberinto the cut-off box 0 will be made just as large as necessary and nolarger. \Vhen the corn in'the chamber comes in contact with the cut-offit does so ordinarily at but one point. By using several bars only theparticular bar 11 which is met by the corn is pressed upward, while theothers remain in place, thus preventing the corn outsideof the seed holeor chamber from passing through the cut-ofi", as would be the case ifthe whole cut-off were raised. The seed hole or chamber, after passingthe final cut-off, K, passes to the opening in the lower or bottomplate, It; were the upper end of the tube L is attached. corn willordinarily fall ofits own-weight such tube L. Sometimes, however, amaylodge in the seed-hole in such] am an" as not to fallout ofitsown'weight. 'To'r this difficnlty I place the ball I loos l the chamber0, Figs. 11 and'12. The of the seed-plate I will bring the'ballovseed-chamber h and cause its weightto al upon the corn in such seedchamber. weight of such ball P is certain to (ii the corn from theseed-hole. Tube L co n the falling corn from the final cut-off upperpart of the boot M. At or near t-h tom of such boot M isfixedtransversely h fan-like wheel or flutter-valve S, when the second drop.The first drop 'ahov scribed, it will be observed, is operate 4 means ofgearing connecting it with thegroun'dwheel B. The second drop, on thecontrary, is operated by means of the lever orcheckrower usuallyemployed in corn-planters. flutter-valve S has the wings m m m,&c. Tform troughs or chambers 141,850, V 5

Into the upper part ofthe boot M isk'fiied the vertical transverse'part'ition p, extending down upon the flutter-valveS in such 7 p as toleave only one chamber-q ope'n atanie to receive the corn as it fallsfrom the 1 or first drop. From the lowerend'o tition p a suitable numberof wires eXte'r. ward over the flutter-valve S toke'p from falling outof the chambers'iqprein' I use wires because'they will allow'th' to seethe corn as it lies in the chem fore it is discharged, thewir'esheinigjust near enough together tokeep t from pa-ssing'between them. The I inoperation as above described v e continually, dropping the' corn' 'grainin the stationary chamber q, (the M upward.) The. gearing operating"adjusted. as to drop the required 11'" I grains into chamber q whilethe'plaiiter from one hill to the other.

The flutter-valve S is operated-by a ratchet, T,'attached to the end ofii a the vibrating bar a, Figs. '3 and 5. Theviits usual hand-lever.

brating bar n is seated against the frame A, near the hinge-joint, andis provided with the One movement of the vibrating bar a will revolvethe flutter-Wheel S sufficiently to carry the chamber g (which has beenuppermost and is filled with corn) backward far enough to bring the nextchamber q uppermost, so as to allow it to receive the corn as itfallsfrom the seed-plate I. The chamber g which is filled with corn now restsunder the wires '0, Fig. 12, and at the next movementit is revolved farenough to discharge the corn into the furrow made by the runner G andthe boot M.

Some parts of my machine are not new. For that reason I have deemed itunnecessary to describe such parts in detail.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is as follows:

1. The combination of the rear frame, A, having the first seed-droppingdevices located on the front part thereof and provided with theseed-tubes L, and the front frame, A, carrying the runners 0, providedwith the second dropping devices arranged to receive the seed from saidseed'tubes and deposit the same in the furrows, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination, with a seed-box, of a.

horizontal rotary seed-droppingplate provided with seed-apertures, anddevices for giving said plate an irregular lateral to-and-fro motionsimultaneous with its movement about its center, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the seed-box having the bottom plate, R,provided with the seed-passage and a central opening, of the chamberedseed-droppin g wheel or plate I, having lateral projections, the plateJ, arranged above said seed-dropping-plate, and provided with the lugsf, arranged to strike said lateral projections, and devices for givingto said seeddropping plate an irregular rotary movement, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination, with the seed-plate I, loosely supported, of theshaft H, loosely connected with said plate at one end to communicaterotary motion to said plate, the gear-wheel d, loosely connected withthe lower end of said shaft, and means for giving to said seed-platesaid plate, substantially as described.

an irregular lateral to-and-fro movement simultaneous with its rotation,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

rotary loosely-supported seed-plate having the rounded corners, of thelugs f, arranged to strike said corners as the plate rotates andcommunicate an irregular to-and-fro motion to 7. In a seeding-machine,the combination,

with the seed-dropping plate provided with seed-apertures, of theelastic preliminary cutoff 1 l, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the rotary seedplate provided withseed-apertures, substantially as described, and the final or permanentcut-off bars 2', of the elastic cutofis 1, arranged to bear upon theupper side of said seed-plate, over the apertures thereon. essentiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, in a seeding-machine, with the first seed-droppingdevices mounted upon the rear frame, A,and means for operating the same,of the second dropping-wheel, S, arranged upon the front frame, A, andhaving the compartments q to receive seed from said first droppingdevices, and operated by intermittent moving devices, substantially asdescribed. v

10. The combination, with the second dropping-wheel, provided withcompartments substantially as described, of the elastic screen 7arranged to cover one of said compartments, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OYPRIAN U. ORANDALL.

Witnesses:

A. E. WARD, S. I. ROBERTS.

